AP2 — Sorghum bicolor

Summary

SORBI_3001G107500 (SbAP2) on sorghum chromosome 1 encodes a protein with CDK and Ser/Thr kinase domains, annotated with cyclin-dependent kinase activity, RNA polymerase II CTD heptapeptide repeat kinase activity, and protein-cysteine S-palmitoyltransferase activity. The gene is associated with diverse biological processes including flower formation, specification of floral organ identity, phloem development, stomatal opening, and regulation of cell differentiation, as well as cell cycle transitions (G1/S and G2/M). It has been linked to agronomically important traits such as grain number, panicle weight, seed weight, seed protein content, tiller number, biomass yield, stem thickness, salinity tolerance, and herbicide sensitivity. Localisation evidence connects the product to the CESA complex, tonoplast, Golgi, and plasmodesmata. Studies of related genes in other species link the family to starch degradation, flower development, and cellulose synthase complex velocity.